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Zephyr’s Nottingham Appeal

Zephyr’s centre offers loving care and support to families who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby or child. It was set up by Carly Williams and Martin Sommerville following the stillbirth of their first son, Zephyr, in 2013.

The centre is based in a bespoke unit within the grounds of Nottingham City Hospital. It is a quiet, peaceful place for parents and families to talk about their loss away from the clinical environment. The centre is open to hospital staff to use when meeting bereaved families, and it is also open to GPs, other health professionals, and community support groups.

Zephyr’s enhances the clinical support already available for parents and families at our hospitals. Our Zephyr’s Appeal funds a full range of services, including: professional bereavement counselling, therapeutic writing and craft workshops, specialist counselling for siblings affected by the death of a brother or sister, and informal drop-in sessions.

Zephyr’s is a place of compassion where families can receive much-needed support to help them recover from their loss.

-Barbara Cathcart, Chief Exec., Nottingham Hospitals Charity

** Zephyr’s has been shortlisted for Best Support Organisation in the Butterfly Awards 2018! You can vote for Zephyr’s here **

Please note: Some services are temporarily relocating this summer. From July until October 2018 all daytime sessions will take place at Ropewalk House in Nottingham City Centre (36 Park Row, NG1 6GR). Evening sessions will continue to take place at Zephyr’s at City Hospital. For further information about the temporary relocation of services, please contact Carly Williams, on 07773194486 (9am-5pm Monday-Friday).

Building a Bespoke Unit

Carly Williams founded the centre with the Charity’s support after her son, Zephyr, was stillborn.

The care from midwives and hospital staff when we lost Zephyr was full of compassion to help ease our pain. But the surroundings weren’t right. How could we cope with our loss whilst other parents in the maternity ward were expressing their joy of a new child? Bereavement counselling is often provided on the wards with other expectant mothers but for us it felt wrong and we’ve since met other parents who felt the same.

-Carly Williams

Carly and Martin’s goal was to create a custom-built centre where bereaved parents could come to terms with their loss, where parents could drop-in throughout the day to find practical and loving support.

With Charity funding, a unit in the City Hospital’s Derwent flats was completely renovated to house the Zephyr’s centre and its services.

Supporting Community Projects

Carly and Martin raised over £20,000 with the help of friends, their family, and other families that they have met along the way. Nottingham Hospitals Charity provides ongoing support for Zephyr’s centre. Thanks to your donations, we are able to fund a full programme of support and services for bereaved families and parents.

Every minute, your support makes a difference

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